Scaredy Squirrel

Gregory Bryan is a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Mélanie Watt’s Scaredy Squirrel series begins with Scaredy Squirrel, in which we are introduced to the character of the same name. Scaredy Squirrel lives in a tree, where he happily munches on nuts, secure in the knowledge that he is safe. Scaredy’s anxiety is so great that he never leaves his tree for fear of venturing into the unknown terrors that might abound beyond the safe confines of his home. Scaredy remains a slave to routine until he discovers that a leap into the unknown is more fun, and less danger, than he ever imagined. Scaredy Squirrel was first published in 2006 and earned a host of awards, including the prestigious Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award.

In Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, Scaredy retains many of his old fears, despite his newfound willingness to leave his tree. Scaredy eventually comes to realize that, while making friends can sometimes be risky, friends can also be a great deal of fun.

In Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach, Scaredy is afraid of dangerous crowds and so, despite a desire to be at the beach, he is unwilling to travel to the seaside. Adhering to the formula established in the earlier books, Scaredy again eventually discovers that his fear was largely unfounded and that a great deal of fun is to be enjoyed if one can confront his fears.

All three of the Scaredy Squirrel books feature liberal doses of humour yet, at the same time, there is sensitivity to Watt’s portrayal of a character struggling to deal with the complexities and uncertainties of life. This sensitivity is important to young readers, many of whom will doubtless have fears of their own.

Watt’s bright, acrylic illustrations feature bold colours framed by black charcoal image outlines. Scaredy emerges as an endearing character with a big, toothy (albeit, nervous) smile. Playful and energetic, this is a fun series of books worthy of inclusion in any library servicing young readers. Highly recommended.

See Also:

Scaredy Squirrel in paperback
Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend
Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach